Decorah, IA: 1 Violation - Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Decorah Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0094 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 69% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,900 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.68 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Decorah
Decorah, IA draws its residential water from 3 separate providers among the 3 federally tracked systems. Each operates independently, with its own infrastructure, rate structure, and compliance record.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Decorah, Iowa, covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 12,539 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Water Sources
Decorah water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0094 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52101 | — | 1 | 0 | Decorah Water Department |
All ZIP Codes in Decorah
- 52101 - 1 violation
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Health Outcomes in Decorah
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Decorah Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Decorah
With 69% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
What does a median build year of 1962 mean for water safety in Decorah? It means the majority of the city's residential plumbing was installed before 1986, when lead solder was federally banned, and a large share may predate 1970, when lead pipes were commonly used - making plumbing age a central variable in household-level lead risk across much of the city.
Over half of homes in Decorah were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Decorah Homeowners
In Decorah, the equity share of documented remediation is meaningful enough to move the household financial perspective from routine maintenance into deliberate budgeting territory - the cost-to-value ratio is moderate, and most homeowners benefit from mapping the full scope against available budgets before committing.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Decorah. The estimated $1,900–$4,100 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 52% above the Iowa average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Decorah
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
If 69% of the Decorah inventory comes from before the federal ban on lead-bearing solder - and if utility samples sit at or near 0.015 mg/L - the gap between citywide averages and one specific faucet becomes a practical concern rather than a theoretical one. That is why one-home reads exist as a separate measurement. A certified filter through retailer networks addresses confirmed exposure where it appears in a household.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Decorah
Historical NFIP data for Decorah contains 17 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $14,090. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$2,900</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Decorah, IA